The so-called king whip, is a three-foot-long bamboo pole, each end hollowed out two pairs of one-inch-long holes, each set with a pair of copper coins inside the holes. Legend has it that when Xiang Yu, the king of Chu, tamed his horse in front of the horse show, he used a bamboo whip with bells, similar in style to this one, hence the name. Artists with this whip rhythmically beat the different parts of the body, singing songs and stories, singing and dancing, entertaining themselves and others, can be heard and appreciated, lively and interesting.
Ming and Qing dynasties, playing the whip is in the rural areas during the disaster, Henan women and children as a means of begging songs. In the 1950s, playing the whip has developed into a popular form of Han folk entertainment, almost the same as twisting rice-planting songs, drums, women and children will. Because of its strong sense of rhythm, some people will be adapted for juvenile gymnastics, once in elementary school to promote. The author's childhood in physical education class, is a whip, under the leadership of the teacher, we danced to the clatter, still fresh in my memory. Detailed examination. Playing the whip actually comes from the "playing even box". And playing the box is a very historical song and dance performance. Legend has it that when the King of Wu Feng. Huang Feihu had disguised as playing the box artists mixed out of the pass, and eventually rebelled and overthrew the Yin Zhou. As for how to play the box... How to sing. How to perform. There is no clear description. Rather, it is Mao Xihe in the "words" book, the word even box explained in more detail, he said: "Ancient song and dance do not match, the singer does not dance, the dancer does not sing; that is, the words in the dance, but also do not have to move with the dancers to act in accordance with the ...... the end of the Song Dynasty, there is the King of the County of Anding Zhao Lingchou, began to make 'Shang tune drum words'. The end of the Song Dynasty, there was the King of Anding County, Zhao Lingchou, who began to compose 'Shangtiao Drums' and 'The West Wing' legend, which was purely based on the fact that there was no performance of the lyrics between the songs. To Jin Zhangzong Dong Jieyuan, I do not know who, the real 'West Wing play lyrics', there is a white song, dedicated to a person to play and read and sing."
"Subsequently, Jin made Qingle. Imitation of the system of Liao daluo. There is the so-called 'even box words', with singing and acting, to the Division singing a person, pipa a person, a sheng a person, a flute a person, sitting in the lyrics; but also to the end of the male mud, the female name of the children, and miscellaneous color people, etc. people play hooks, along with the lyrics of the demeanor, such as 'participate in the bodhisattva,' the end of the Clay 揖; 'only the flowers will smile against, then the Dan child twisting flowers class, the North is still called the Lian box, said 'playing Lian box', 'singing Lian box', also said 'Lian box moving performance ' ...... "to the Yuan people Haoqu. The singers and dancers cooperate with a person ...... However, at that time, the Division Singing is still a person, imitating the law of the Lianxiang, can not be changed quickly."
Ching play flower masters of the theater compilation "decorated white fur", there is "even box" a play. Another "Side Hat Yu talk" is also recorded: the box, "Fan copper for the dry, about two feet Xu, empty which, decorated with a ring, miscellaneous plays have "playing the box" that is. Covering one or two young actress Joe dressed up as a good girl, holding a sandalwood board, and singing and patting ......" Here you can see that the Lian box is the same as the whip. Playing Lianhang seems to be the same form of performance as playing the whip. However, the performance of playing Lianhang in the early Ming Dynasty was much more complicated than that of the modern whip. Nowadays, "whip" is a common form of song and dance performance in urban and rural areas in China, popular in the north and south central China, only different places have different names, such as "playing Lianqiang", "nine whip "Playing Lianxiang", "Juzi Whip", "Playing Spending Money", "Money Stick", "Knocking Golden Kung" and so on. "The dancers hold flower sticks and swing them up and down, left and right, striking their limbs, shoulders and backs, and so on. Constantly striking out a rhythmic ringing sound."
Some of the "king whip" to do more to see the craftsmanship, in addition to the bamboo pole pierced through the copper, but also at the ends of the bamboo pole on the colorful whip spikes, useful for hemp, but also useful for the production of red silk, silk thread. Dance can not only hear the copper money hit the "clatter" sound, but also to enjoy the colorful spikes flying lively scene. It can be seen, from playing the box to play the king whip. It has gone through a rather long process of change.